A Choice Between Paths
by Lauren Snape
Summary: Marivetta, the daughter of a Death Eater, thought there was only a single path set before her. But in her 7th year she forges an unlikely alliance with her Potions Professor who has chosen a unique path. -- INCOMPLETE/SUSPENDED PRODUCTION
1. A Return to Hogwarts

**A Choice Between Paths**

**Chapter 1: A Return to Hogwarts**

Author: Lauren M. Snape

Rating: PG-13

Main Characters: Marivetta Hunter, Severus Snape, Draco Malfoy, Toria Mulciber, Randolf Block

Summary: Marivetta Hunter is the daughter of a Death Eater who thought that there was only a single path set before her. But in her seventh year she finds herself drawn into a silent war she wasn't even aware was taking place. Forging an unlikely alliance with her Potions Professor, she must now choose between the path of a Death Eater and the path of a hero.

------

The Hogwarts Express swayed gently as it progressed across the English countryside. The prefects' car was packed full of people chatting loudly about their summer holidays. As they waited for the Head Boy and Girl to call the meeting to order, Marivetta Hunter just stood back and watched it all.

She was tall enough to see over the heads of most of the younger students, her steel gray eyes darting around taking in every inch of the car. Most of the other students walked around her with hardly any notice to her existence, because there wasn't really anything very remarkable about Marivetta. She had long beautiful hair, but she kept it pinned back in a tight bun on the back of her head. Her clothes were always neatly pressed and the only thing untidy about her was the one bit of hair that always insisted upon escaping from her bun, forcing her to tuck it behind her ear to keep it from falling in her eyes.

"All right, Hunter?" Pansy Parkinson called as she entered the compartment. Draco Malfoy entered just behind her.

"Hello, Parkinson." She nodded slightly. "And Draco."

"Have a good summer, Marivetta?" Draco asked, parting from Pansy to join her in the corner. He had a pointed face, and un-naturally blond hair, but even Marivetta had to admit he was handsome.

"Good enough. I didn't see Father much," she answered, lowering her voice. "But I dare say you didn't see yours much either." 

"They were very busy this summer," Draco said. "He was glad Dumbledore made me a Prefect. I thought I would be overlooked due to hard feelings the Headmaster has for my father."

"I suppose Headmaster Dumbledore knew that would look very bad on his part," she said. "And I'd have resigned if he'd made one of your mindless cronies a prefect."

Draco let a grin slip. "You're graduating soon, are you going to join?"

Marivetta was spared answering by the Head Boy, Arnold MacIntosh, calling for silence.

The Head Girl, Trudie Drumhiller, began her welcoming spiel and Marivetta felt a lurch of resentment, and jealousy. She had been in the running for Head Girl herself, but in the end Trudie had won the spot.

As if it wasn't bad enough that every guy Marivetta had ever liked had ended up fawning all over Trudie, with her yards of over-styled blond hair and insipid blue eyes, now Marivetta had to watch the spoiled brat run around with a Head Girl badge on.

Randolf Block, the other seventh year Slytherin prefect, exchanged a disgusted look with Marivetta. She knew what he was thinking: _We weren't chosen because we are Slytherins._ And she didn't doubt the accuracy of that thought.

Marivetta hardly listened to what was being said. It wasn't until the Head Boy forced the list of delegated prefect tasks into her hands that she snapped back into reality.

The other Slytherin prefects were gathering around her and Randolf and the noise level in the compartment rose again.

"Pansy and Draco are supposed to lead the first years to the common room after the feast. Theodore and Alexandra, you're handing out the schedules at breakfast tomorrow."

She was shouting to be heard over the din. Randolf was gazing over her shoulder.

"They've got you and I patrolling the hallways every night this week," he groaned, sending a contemptuous glare towards the Head Boy and Girl. "God forbid they rotate between houses, you only need two prefects on duty at a time." 

Marivetta crumpled up the parchment angrily. "New password is 'Dragon's Breath'. Now I'm going to sit in my usual compartment." She turned and left without another word.

Toria Mulciber looked up from her _Teen Witch Weekly_ as Marivetta slipped into the compartment. Randolf followed her in, but Draco and Pansy merely waved as they passed.

"You already missed the snack cart," Toria said. "But I bought our usual assortment."

"Excellent," Marivetta said, snatching up a Cauldron Cake and settling into a seat. "How was your summer?"

"Boring as hell," Toria answered. "Dad was running all over the place, so most of the time it was just me and the House Elf."

"I would have invited you over, but Dad and Mum didn't want anyone else in the house," Marivetta said dismally.

"Have either of you put any thought into what you want to do once this year is over?" Randolf asked, running one of his large hands over his short hair.

"Some," Toria answered. "I was thinking about going abroad, visiting Salem where all the witch trials were. Thought it would be enlightening."

"I want to be a scholar," Randolf said. "Practically live in a library and get paid to learn."

"I'd love to be a teacher. Too bad the only worthy school has a full teaching staff at the moment," Marivetta said, shrugging.

"You could always go teach at Durmstrang," Toria suggested.

Marivetta was tempted to tell her she'd rather die, but didn't want to press the point. Instead she sat back and watched her two best friends for a few moments.

You couldn't find a stranger trio in all of Hogwarts.

Toria was, and there is no other word for it, odd. She had shoulder length, midnight black hair that had several streaks of green flowing through it. She wore far more eyeliner than necessary. And her fingernails were adorned with black nail polish that she had a habit of chipping off when she got bored.

Randolf, on the other hand, was a flirt. Probably the biggest flirt in all of Slytherin, except possibly for Draco. He was fit, with broad shoulders and thick arms. He was the last person you would imagine wanting to become a scholar. The idea of him sitting around a library reading all day would baffle anyone who didn't know him. Marivetta, however, knew how brilliant he really was. She hadn't seen him study for a test once in the 6 years they'd been at Hogwarts so far, yet he always aced every single test.

Marivetta glanced at her reflection in the window. Compared to them, it wasn't a wonder that she seemed so plain. She frowned, tucking the stubborn tuft of hair behind her ear and turning away from the window.

"Where do you reckon Draco went?" Randolf asked.

Marivetta laughed. "You have to ask? I'd be willing to put money down he went to pay dear Potter a visit."

The ride passed in a blur of Chocolate Frogs and Exploding Snap. Draco and his followers, Crabbe and Goyle, didn't turn up until about thirty minutes before they pulled into Hogsmeade.

Toria was busy braiding Marivetta's hair, but she looked up and smiled at him.  

"Hello, _ Draco_."

Marivetta rolled her eyes behind Advanced Potions for the Adventurous Soul. He sat across from them propping his feet up next to Marivetta's knee.

Randolf dropped his _Daily Prophet_, turning his attention to Draco. "Spill already, you look like a cat that just swallowed a canary."

"I just overheard our beloved Head Girl going on about how much she was looking forward to working with Professor Snape this year," he said, twirling his wand absently. He then took on an annoying falsetto voice. "_It is going to be a great honor to work with such an accomplished Potions Master_."

Marivetta's heart plummeted into her stomach and she dropped her book on her lap.

Randolf called Trudie a very foul name. "How can Professor Snape stand her for a whole year?"

Marivetta stared down at the book and found she no longer cared about the magical properties of thestral tail hair.

Every year Professor Snape selected a seventh year to be his student assistant. They graded papers and ran errands, but they also helped brew potions for purposes beyond the classroom.  

Marivetta had wanted the position ever since her second year, when he had told her she was the most promising student in her class.

She slammed the book closed. There were a few moments of silence before it was filled with the usual chatter. Randolf and Toria were trading Chocolate Frog cards. Draco was telling Crabbe and Goyle they needed to try out for the Quidditch team.

Marivetta threw her book against the compartment door so that it rattled the hinges loudly.

"That little bint couldn't even properly brew healing draughts last year," she hissed.  

"Don't worry," Draco said, smiling. "If she really is his student assistant, we'll just have to make her as miserable as possible."

There were several thumps as the train stopped and Randolf had to put his hand up to stop their trunks from falling out of the rack.

Marivetta couldn't help but smile as she stepped of the train. In a few minutes she would be back at Hogwarts.

She walked past the woman who was gathering the first years.

Draco laughed. "I knew that oaf Hagrid wouldn't make it back," he said. "Father says they sent him to the giants to sway them against the Dark Lord."

"Not much hope there," she said. "Giants don't fancy wizards much at all."

They walked through the crowd up the platform to the carriages. Marivetta paused to watch the thestrals toss their heads.

"I wish I could see them," Toria whispered.

"No, you don't," Randolf replied. He was watching them, too.  

"Looks like Potter's taste in friends has not improved much," Draco announced loudly. They all turned to see Harry Potter and Luna Lovegood getting into one of the carriages.

Marivetta marveled at this. She had never seen Potter speak to Luna Lovegood and found it distinctly odd that he had chosen to introduce himself on the train ride over. She had a glimpse of his green eyes behind their circular glasses before he closed the door to his carriage.

The ride to the castle was filled with more Quidditch talk. And though the conversation held absolutely no interest for Marivetta, Toria was listening raptly to Draco.

The Entrance Hall was packed full of students laughing and greeting old friends. Their group was given a wide birth by a group of second year Hufflepuffs.

They were nearly into the Great Hall when a stern voice cut through the din.

"Miss Hunter!"

They all turned to see that Professor McGonagall had broken through the Hufflepuffs. She gazed through her square-cut glasses that were perched precariously on the end of her nose.

"Professor Snape needs to see you in his office before the feast starts," she said. Marivetta stared at her. "He is _waiting_." McGonagall stormed off to scold a pair of second year Gryffindors who were having a shoving fight to get into the Great Hall.

Marivetta stared around to Draco, Toria, and Randolf.

"You can't be in trouble already..." Toria said.

"I'll just go," Marivetta said, shoving a few Ravenclaws out of the way on her way to the dungeons.

*    *    *

Severus Snape sat silently behind his desk. He had a sallow, thin face, with a long hooked nose that gave the impression that he was a large bird of prey. He had shoulder length, blue-black hair that fell around his face in an almost stringy fashion. His office was lit with a single torch that caused the large array of jars and flasks that sat on the shelves lining his walls to twinkle oddly.

He stared down at his hands folded on the desktop.

Dumbledore's words form earlier rang around the empty office as if he had just spoken them.

_You have to be careful, you know the people she associates with. And the people her parents associate with._

It wasn't as if he hadn't thought about that. What if he let her get too close and she discovered his secret? What if she passed it on to her friends, or her father? It could be the end of him. He'd have to be meticulously cautious when she was around.

There was a soft knock on his door.

"It's open, Miss Hunter." Now, with the silence broken Dumbledore's voice no longer echoed in Snape's mind.

The door opened and Marivetta popped her head in. "You wanted to see me, Sir?"  Her thick braid fell in front of her shoulder, her eyes focused quizzically on him.  

"Yes, Marivetta, have a seat," he answered, indicating a chair in front of his desk.

She snapped the door closed and sat gazing around the room. Marivetta had only been in this office on a couple occasions, other times she'd just stood outside the doorway and spoke to him there. Her stomach gave a disgusted jolt as her eyes rested on a jar full of green liquid that had a pus-filled slug floating in it.  

"As I'm sure you know," Snape began, gazing at her intently, "every year I choose a seventh year student out of my N.E.W.T. level classes to be my student assistant. The assistant, while helping with mundane things like grading papers, also helps with the brewing of potions that would not normally be covered in a classroom setting."

Marivetta's jaw fell open. "You're not... but I'm...  _ME?_"

"I feel that Advanced Potions will not teach you much more than you already know. Therefore you would profit greatly with exposure to some of the complex potions I find myself brewing here at Hogwarts."

"But I'm not even Head Girl!" She couldn't suppress these words from spilling out of her mouth, but she felt immensely stupid for saying them.

Snape gave her a thin grin. "If you must know, our Head Girl's Potions grades are not really up to snuff. Not as if that has stopped her from owling me every week this summer to ask if I'd chosen my assistant yet. After that I'd just rather let Peeves be my assistant over her."  

Marivetta could not suppress her triumphant smile after that comment. "It will be an honor to work with you, Sir."

He stood. "Now that we've settled that, we should head to the feast."

She followed him through the dark dungeon corridors. She couldn't believe it. She'd dreamt of having Professor Snape mentor her in the art of Potion brewing but she never thought she'd get the chance. She watched silently as his robes flowed smoothly behind him as they climbed the stone stairs back into the entrance hall. She held her chin high as they walked past the Ravenclaw table. She could see Trudie Drumhiller looking from Professor Snape to Marivetta suspiciously.

Draco had saved her a seat next to him, and when she sat he promptly began to inform her of the Sorting Hat's song of warning.

"Load of rubbish about standing together," Randolf said.

"If the hat thinks we're going to be friends with the bloody Gryffindors it has truly lost its marbles," Draco said, glaring over at the Gryffindor table.

Marivetta was trying to look interested in this news, but clearly she was failing, because Randolf was staring at her.

"What are you smiling about?" he asked, looking surprised.

"Professor Snape just offered me the position of his Student Assistant," she answered, still smiling.

Draco looked as if Christmas had come early. "That will please Trudie," he said. "I think I'll go tell her. Come on, you two."

He strutted off towards the Ravenclaw table, Crabbe and Goyle in tow.

Severus was eating quietly at the head table. His long, black hair fell loosely around his shoulders. 

"Did Miss Hunter accept your offer?" Albus asked, taking a bite of his pork chop.

"Yes, in fact she seemed fairly pleased," Severus answered.

"Are you talking about Harold Hunter's daughter?" a shrill voice interrupted their conversation.  

It was Dolores Umbridge, her squashed face alive with interest.

"Her father is highly respected by many ministry members," she said. "He's an excellent donor who supports many worthy causes."

Severus was staring at her incredulously. 

"We are well aware of Harold's achievements, his daughter has just been made Severus' student assistant," Albus said calmly.

"Excellent, I highly approve," Umbridge said. 

"No one asked for your-" Severus began.

"That is wonderful to hear," Albus interrupted him. The plate in front of him magically emptied of its contents as he rose to his feet.

Marivetta wasn't paying much attention to the post-feast wrap up. She was pleasantly stuffed and ready for bed when Umbridge began her long-winded speech.

Fortunately, she wasn't the only one not paying attention. Draco was staring up at the head table with a glazed look. And Toria was tapping her fingers absently on the table.

"Is this hag ever going to shut up and let us go to bed?" Randolf asked, yawning.

Marivetta began contemplating walking out, but as soon as the thought crossed her mind Dumbledore was speaking again.

She exchanged weary looks with Draco as they were dismissed.

"What the hell was that all about?" Randolf asked.

"Just another amusing Defense Against the Dark Arts professor," Toria answered.

But as Marivetta climbed wearily into her four-post bed, she couldn't help but think that having Umbridge as a teacher was going to be far from amusing.


	2. The First Day of a Long Year

**A Choice Between Paths**

**Chapter 2: The First Day of A Long Year** Author: Lauren M. Snape   
Rating: PG-13   
Main Characters: Marivetta Hunter, Severus Snape, Draco Malfoy, Toria Mulciber, Randolf Block   
Summary: Marivetta Hunter is the daughter of a Death Eater who thought that there was only a single path set before her. But in her seventh year she finds herself drawn into a silent war she wasn't even aware was taking place. Forging an unlikely alliance with her Potions Professor, she must now choose between the path of a Death Eater and the path of a hero. 

-------- 

The first day of term dawned gray and dismal. A constant drizzle rained down upon the grounds. Marivetta was always up before her classmates. She was standing in front of her mirror, fastening her hair into its usual bun. 

Toria was the next to rise. 

"Morning, Mar," she said, stretching out her arms. 

"Mmm." Marivetta mumbled around the hairpin she was holding in her teeth. 

Toria and Marivetta prepared for morning classes in two very different ways. Marivetta was meticulous, as she was in all aspects of her life. After finishing her hair she put on light makeup. Then she thoroughly charmed the wrinkles out of her clothing. 

Toria, on the other hand, ran her fingers through her hair and considered herself done. 

Of course, Toria is also the girl who ripped off the fastener to her robes and replaced it with several over-sized safety pins. She was pinning each of these when she turned to Marivetta. 

"Since you're the teacher's pet now does that mean you won't actually be taking potions with the rest of us?" she asked. 

"Assistant, not pet," Marivetta said, straightening her tie. "And I will probably still be in your class. I will most likely be assisting in lower level classes." She flung her bag over her shoulder and they made the journey down the stone corridor to the common room in silence. 

A crowd of students, incidentally mostly first years, was huddled around the bulletin board staring up at a large sign. 

"What the hell?" Toria asked. 

Marivetta shouldered her way through the crowd of students and ripped down the sign. "Oh honestly, listen to this," she said, reading the sign. "Pocket money failing to keep pace with your outings? Like to earn a little extra gold? Contact Fred and George Weasley." 

"You can't be serious," Toria said, reading the remainder of the sign. "_Virtually_ painless jobs? How did they manage to get this in here?" 

"No idea." 

Randolf and Draco were slowly making their way through the common room, Crabbe and Goyle following silently behind. Draco was walking like a proud soldier; his chin held high and his chest puffed out. His prefect badge gleamed on his chest; he must have polished it when he woke up. 

Marivetta ignored Toria's sudden rush to fix her hair as they approached. 

"Brandon McKinnon says a House Elf posted it last night, Draco said, slicking back his hair gracefully. 

"Well, at least it wasn't a student?" Toria interjected, flashing a smile at him. 

Draco indulged her and gave her a grin. "I already gave Theodore the schedules to hand out at breakfast and the first years know where they are going with out guidance," Draco said. 

"Most excellent," Marivetta said, smiling. "Then I shall just head on up to breakfast, coming?" 

They walked out of the thick stone door and past the stone snake that guarded it. They had just reached the top of the stairs leading into the Entrance Hall when they spotted Harry, Hermione, and Ron coming down the marble staircase. 

"Well, I think it's a pity we're not trying for a bit of inter-house unity," Hermione said. 

A group of Ravenclaws fled when they spotted Harry, causing Draco to laugh. 

"Yeah, we really ought to be trying to make friends with people like that," Harry said sarcastically, shooting an angry look after the Ravenclaws. 

"I want to go make friends with them," Draco said. "Anyone who hates Potter can be my friend." 

Toria giggled and Marivetta found herself rolling her eyes again. She stepped out into the Entrance Hall, removing the folded sign out of her bag. 

"Miss Granger! Mister Weasley! A word please," she called. 

The golden trio stopped, Ron shot Hermione a puzzled look, but she seemed to recognize Marivetta. 

"_This_ was hanging in my Common Room this morning," she hissed, shoving the flyer into Hermione's hand. "Now I don't care what they do to first years in their own house, the less of you there are the better. But I don't want to find this in my house again or I'll see to it those two are at the least suspended." 

Hermione looked furious. "How did they manage this?" She stomped her foot angrily. "I assure you it will be handled." 

"Good." Marivetta nodded and walked into the Great Hall, her friends following closely behind. 

"That was beautiful," Toria said. "Simply beautiful. You as good as told her you wanted Gryffs to be an endangered species and all she cared about was that bloody sign." 

Draco and his minions were still laughing. 

It wasn't until they were seated at their table that Ron turned to Hermione and asked: "Who was that, anyway?" 

She let out an exasperated sigh. 

"Marivetta Hunter, 7th year prefect, and she might as well be Head Girl. Trudie is going to be utterly useless, she's more concerned about her popularity than anything else." 

"That girl reminded me of McGonagall," Harry said. 

Ron shook his head. "No, Snape. Actually, I think that would be what their kid would be like if Snape and McGonagall got together." 

Harry snorted in his eggs. 

"Just don't cross her, it would be a bad idea," Hermione said, smearing butter on her toast. 

Schedules were being passed along the Slytherin table. Randolf peered over Marivetta's shoulder. 

"You will be spending way more time with Snape then I would ever want to," he said. 

"But imagine all the Potions I will be learning." 

"You are so weird," Toria said, chipping black nail polish off of her pointer finger with her thumb nail as she gazed down at her own schedule. 

"You spend _all_ of Friday tailing Snape," Draco said. "But, on the bright side, your first Teacher's Assistant slot is with my class." 

Marivetta was almost relieved by that. Her biggest worry was un-cooperative students. She brushed her escaped tuft of hair behind her ear and shoved her schedule in her bag. 

"I'm in for a busy year," she said, scooping some scrambled eggs onto her plate. "Between classes, assisting the Professor, and prefect duties." 

"Do you plan on sleeping?" Draco asked. 

"Not this week, because we have hallway patrol every night this week," Randolf said. 

"Yeah, thanks to our beloved Head Girl," Marivetta said, shooting an evil look at Trudie across the isle at the Ravenclaw table. 

* * * 

Marivetta had her normal Potions class first that day, so she, Randolf, and Toria walked to the Dungeons together. She had hardly sat down when the 7th year Ravenclaws walked in, including Trudie Drumhiller. 

Trudie made a beeline for the table where Randolf was sitting. He shot Marivetta and Toria, who were sitting one table over, a panicked look. 

"What is she playing at?" Toria asked, her curtain of black and green hair falling in her face as she leaned forward to whisper to Marivetta. 

"She probably want to mooch off of his intelligence," Marivetta said, looking disgusted. 

The door to the classroom opened and everyone fell silent as Professor Snape began their class. 

"Now this seating won't do at all," he said. He waved his wand and a desk appeared up front next to his own. "Miss Hunter, if you please." 

Marivetta, exchanging surprised looks with Toria, shifted her stuff up to the new desk. She set her ingredients up while Professor Snape shifted more seats around. When she looked up again she noticed that Randolf had been moved to sit next to Toria, and Trudie was sitting alone looking annoyed. 

"You are all entering the last leg of your magical education here at Hogwarts," he began, his eyes roaming across the students in the room. "Some of you are already prepared enough for your NEWTs. The rest of you have got quite a bit to learn if you want to score high. I don't suppose I have to stress the importance of doing well on these tests, since I assume you all realize that your NEWTs will determine what careers you are qualified for." 

"This year we will be getting into some of the most complex potions that I am allowed to teach you. But how far we go is going to be based on your progress as a class. If you progress at a reasonable speed we will get to brew intriguing things such as the Polyjuice Potion and Veritaserum." 

A ripple of whispers shot through the classroom and the excitement was almost palpable. 

"I expect nothing short of perfection before we can reach such levels. If you all work hard there is no reason why we should not be able to get there. First, a review: pick any potion that I taught you last year and brew it with out your notes. You have an hour." 

He waved his wand and an hourglass appeared on his desk. The classroom whirred into motion. 

The hardest thing for Marivetta was to pick from one of the many potions she had learned the previous school year. In the end she chose Dreamless Sleep, as she was one of a select few who had managed to successfully brew that potion. 

She couldn't resist and opportunity to outshine Trudie, the snotty Head Girl. 

Professor Snape was making slow rounds through the classroom. Toria and Randolf were working on one of the Healing Draughts. So far they had the ingredients lined up and measured. Nothing had been added to the cauldron though. 

Trudie was staring at her ingredients as if waiting for a sudden moment of insight. He had to work hard not to laugh out loud at her. She seemed to be waiting for the ingredients to jump up and start measuring up on their own. 

Then there was Marivetta, her face blank as she meticulously diced Elderflower root. She didn't seem to be the tiniest bit worried about failing. She didn't question or second-guess herself; she just forged ahead. 

He was reminded a lot of himself at that age. Determined, desperate for recognition. He recognized the looks she threw at Trudie as well, it was the look of a frustrated soul. Marivetta knew she deserved to be Head Girl, but she'd been passed over just as he had been so many years before. 

But the reasoning for it was clear to him now. It _was_ because she was a Slytherin, however not because the Headmaster was biased. Instead, it was because the rest of the school was biased. 

Dumbledore was worried that the Prefects from other houses wouldn't listen to a Slytherin Head Girl. It was unfair, and everyone knew it. 

Snape feared for his young protégé, because his thirst for recognition had played him right into Voldemort's hand. He didn't want the same thing to happen to her. 

"You should be done with your preparations," he announced. 

He could have graded their efforts based upon their expressions. Some looked only mildly nervous, others looked terrified. Marivetta looked confident and stress free. 

"Bottle your potions and label them clearly with your name and what potion it is meant to be," he said. 

Marivetta had only just reached for a phial when Snape turned to her desk. 

"Wait. You can bottle yours after class, right now I'd prefer you to help me collect your classmates meager attempts." 

"Yes, sir." 

She couldn't help making mental notes on the potions as she checked them all for the students name before filing them in the rack set on Snape's desk. There were a lot of Healing Draughts, which wasn't so surprising. They had the least amount of ingredients to remember, but the measurements had to be very precise for the potion to be any good. 

She was taking the phial of Toria and Randolf's potion when Professor Snape's voice rang through the classroom. 

"Tell me, Miss Drumhiller, are you deaf?" 

"No, Professor," she answered, looking nervous. 

"Then you must not pan any mind to instructions," he said, brandishing her potion at her. "_This_ is a potion we learned in your fifth year, not your sixth year." 

The Head Girl flushed. She opened and shut her mouth a couple of times much to the amusement of the Slytherins in the room. Snape waved his wand and the potion vanished. He handed the empty container back to the stammering girl. 

"Perhaps next time you will listen harder in class," he said, and then turned to the next student as if she wasn't there. 

Toria and Randolf were still giggling as they left, waving goodbye to Marivetta. 

Snape was gazing down at the rack of phials. He picked one up to read the label and made a sour face. 

"Looking at this, can you now see why I believe you won't learn much in this class?" he asked, holding up a second phial. 

"It is rather ridiculous," she agreed. 

"I'm going to take these to my office," he said. "While I am gone you should bottle your potions. All of it. I would hate for such a perfect Dreamless Sleep potion to go to waste." 

"Thank you, professor." 

She concentrated fully on emptying the contents of her cauldron into bottles. She didn't look up from her task until the fifth year Slytherins and Gryffindors were filing in. 

She nodded to Draco as he passed. 

"What's she doing here?" Rom asked Hermione under his breath. 

"She's probably his new assistant," she answered, unloading her potions notes from the previous year onto the table. 

"Since when does Snape get an assistant?" Harry asked. 

"He has one every year," she answered. "But we've never actually had one assist during our period." 

"So how did you know about them?" Ron asked. 

"Everyone knew about them, at least everyone that paid attention." 

Ron opened his mouth to argue but before he could Professor Snape was back and the classroom went silent. 

Marivetta hardly paid attention to Snape's opening lecture this time, it didn't vary all that much from the one she had heard in her own class that morning. 

The class was brewing the Draught of Peace, and he had just sent them to the cupboard for their ingredients when he turned to her. 

"Now, I have given them an hour and a half, but there's no reason a skilled brewer can't make this in an hour. Impress me." 

He was testing her, she knew he was. And he was testing her nerve more than anything. To brew such a precise potion quickly required you to have confidence in your measurements. There wasn't any time to second-guess things. 

She wondered if he was watching her. Time was irrelevant at that point, flowing by with each ingredient measured and added. She dumped in the final ingredient and a silver vapor began to rise from her cauldron. Before she could even consider packing up her ingredients and calling Snape over he was there at her side. 

"Fifty-five minutes and twenty-nine seconds," he said. "I am impressed. Feel free to make rounds around the classroom. Take note of anything you find interesting. 

The students around the room were still adding ingredients. She walked past Harry Potter, whose potion wasn't as thick as it should have been at that point. Neville seemed to be in able to properly measure anything. 

"Double check your moonstone measurement before you add that," she whispered under her breath as she passed by Draco. 

As she passed by Crabbe she nearly coughed to death in the fumes that his cauldron was emitting. She didn't bother staying nearby long enough to figure out what he did wrong. 

"Tell me, Potter, can you read?" Snape's voice echoed through the dungeon. 

Marivetta turned. Potter's potion was issuing copious amounts of dark gray steam. 

Snape berated him. She had never seen her professor act so viciously towards a student. She moved to the front of the room and by the time she turned back again Harry's potion had vanished. 

"Those of you who have managed to read the instructions, fill one flagon with a sample of your potion, label it clearly with your name, and bring it up to me or Miss Hunter for testing," said Snape. "Homework: twelve inches of parchment on the properties of moonstone and it's use in potion-making to be handed in on Thursday." 

As the students began to shuffle to the front of the classroom, Harry packed up his things in silence, throwing dark looks up at Snape. 

Marivetta packed up her things and waited to be dismissed. Once the last of the students had vanished, Snape turned to her. 

"Now, as time passes you will become more active in the process. Today was more a test than anything else," he said, almost grinning. "You seem well equipped and I'm sure it will be a productive year. There is one more thing: on nights when you do not have patrol duties I will need you to spend at least an hour helping me grade papers and prepare the next days lessons. Understood?" 

"Yes, sir." 

"Good. You may go now." 

Marivetta felt as if the first half of the day had lasted forever. She was relieved to take her seat at the Slytherin table between Randolf and Toria. 

"How'd it go?" Toria asked. 

"He's still testing me," she answered, pouring her self a tall glass of pumpkin juice. 

"Testing your? But you brewed Dreamless Sleep from memory!" Randolf said. 

"And then I brewed the Draught of Peace in under an hour," she said. "I feel like my brain just got finished running a marathon." 

Draco Malfoy was retelling how Snape had reamed Harry Potter in Potions, much to the glee of a pack of 3rd year Slytherin girls. 

"Well you might want to snap your brain back into gear. We've got Defense Against the Dark Arts next," Randolf said. 

Marivetta groaned. Defense Against the Dark Arts was her weakest subject. She always received high marks but she always hat to work for them. Not quite so difficult was Charms. Charms was the use of practiced spells, whereas Defense Against the Dark Arts was deciding what spells to use when. And all of the spells tended to be more complex. 

"I suppose it could be worse," she said. "I could be still taking Divination." 

Toria laughed. "Oh, come on, when Trelawny told you that you didn't have a psychic bone in your body, I almost lost it." 

"You had to remind me of that," Marivetta said, glaring at her. 

Randolf and Toria broke into laughter. 

* * * 

All conversations dropped down to a whisper as the 7th year Slytherins and Gryffindors filed into the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom. Umbridge was sitting behind her desk, watching them. She was not an attractive woman, Marivetta had decided. She had a round, squashed face that always looked angry. 

"Good afternoon, class," Umbridge said, with a smile that was even less attractive than her frown. 

Marivetta winced slightly. The woman's high-pitched voice was almost as irritating as fingernails scraping down a chalkboard. 

There was a general mumble from the students around the room. 

"Tut, tut. That won't do," she said. "I said 'Good afternoon, class.'" 

"Good afternoon, Professor Umbridge." 

"Much better. Now let's get started. Wands away, quills out," she said, prodding the board with her wand until words appeared. 

_Defense Against The Dark Arts   
A Return to Basic Principles_

"IT seems, looking at the few notes I've received from your previous professors that prior to now your Defense Against the Dark Arts education has been fragmented and disrupted, she said. She had said the word 'professors' as if she hardly believed that they had deserved the title. "Fortunately we hope to remedy that this year with a carefully structured, theory-centered, Ministry-approved course of Defense Magic." 

There was a sudden murmur that ran through the class after the words "theory-centered". Marivetta watched as Fred Weasley leaned over to George and whispered something. 

"Hem, hem!" The classroom fell silent again. "Our course aims are as follows." She tapped her wand on the board and more words appeared. 

_Course Aims: _

1- Understanding the principles underlying defensive magic. 

2- Learning to recognize situations in which defensive magic can legally be used. 

3- Placing the use of defensive magic in a context for practical use. 

"You aren't honestly going to teach a 7th year level Defense Against the Dark Arts class without practicing any of the spells, are you?" George blurted out. 

"Please raise your hand if you want to speak, Mr.?" 

"Weasley." 

"Mr. Weasley do you expect a situation in which defensive magic is necessary to arise in this classroom?" she asked. 

Fred began to mouth noiselessly as if trying to think of something to add to his brother's argument. 

Arnold McIntosh stood up. "With all due respect-" 

"Hand, Mr. McIntosh," she snapped. "I would expect better from our Head Boy." 

She scowled and raised his hand over his head before speaking again. "What I was trying to say is that if we are going to be tested on these spells at the end of the year, we should know how to do them." 

"Should you thoroughly read the text and study the theory there is no reason you shouldn't be able to perform the spells for your NEWTs." 

Marivetta rolled her eyes. She felt a pit of concern building in her stomach. Without some sort of practical practice she would fail her Defense Against the Dark Arts NEWT. But despite this she stayed silent. 

In fact, none of the Slytherins spoke; they merely watched the fall out. 

"Don't be daft, you can't expect us to perform spells for the first time at our exams!" Angelina Johnson shouted. 

"Hands, please!" 

"This is bullshit," George Weasley said, his hand held high. 

"Twenty points from Gryffindor," Umbridge snapped. 

Silence fell over the classroom and many of the Gryffindors looked murderous. 

"You should all have a copy of Defensive Magical Theory by Wilbert Slinkhard," Umbridge said, as if the argument had never occurred. "Turn to Chapter One; Basics for Beginners and read the chapter. There is no need to talk." 

* * * 

"So that class is going to be a total waste of our time," Randolf said, once they'd left the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom. 

"Basics for Beginners? Do we look like beginners?" Marivetta asked. 

"Utterly ridiculous," Randolf agreed. 

Marivetta pushed her Defense Against the Dark Arts worries from her mind to concentrate on Transfigurations. She was half tempted to say something to another professor about her concerns, but she shelved the idea. She would try to handle her dilemma on her own. 

McGonagall gave them a pile of homework on Fabrication Spells before dismissing them. 

"All I want is a nice dinner and to finish my homework before we start patrolling at Midnight," Randolf said. 

"I don't envy the two of you," Toria said. "I value my sleep." 

The Great Hall was alive with activity when they walked in. People were murmuring in every direction. 

"He says he saw Cedric Diggory murdered…" 

"He reckons he dueled with You Know Who…" 

"Come off it…" 

"Who does he think he's kidding?" 

Marivetta sat down next to Draco. 

"What is going on?" she asked. 

"Potter had a falling out with Umbridge. He told her all about what supposedly happened after the Tri-Wizard Tournament last year," he explained. "She told him he was a liar and now it's all over the school." 

"Seriously?" Toria asked. 

"I haven't had her yet, but I can already tell I'm going to love Umbridge," Draco said. 

Marivetta watched as Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, and Ron Weasley fled the hall. 

"I wouldn't be so sure, Draco," she said. 

She spooned some mashed potatoes onto her plate. After a long pause she spoke again. 

"I just have a feeling it is going to be a long year." 


End file.
